


through the looking glass

by halcyonskies



Series: 100Themes: Dean/Cas [75]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blood, Fantasy World, Future Fic, Futuristic Technology, Gen, Hurt Dean, Magic, Near Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-09
Updated: 2015-11-09
Packaged: 2018-04-30 19:51:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5177594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyonskies/pseuds/halcyonskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maybe they'll take a break from it for a while.</p>
            </blockquote>





	through the looking glass

**Author's Note:**

> 100Themes Challenge - #74: Video Game
> 
> not gonna lie, the inspiration for this was probably all the oblivion i've been playing recently

“Dean! Oh my God, shit–” Castiel skidded down the outcropping, dropping his sword as he knelt at Dean’s side. Bright red bubbled at the corners of his friend’s mouth as he coughed, clawing weakly at his stomach. Castiel hastily pulled the probing fingers away, feeling sick at the warmth of Dean’s _blood_ on his hands.

“You got–” Another wet cough, followed by a round of wheezy gasping. “You got any SunSap left?”

SunSap, yes, that would heal Dean right up. Berating himself for not thinking of it sooner, Castiel frantically tore at the pack hanging at his hip, sifting through the contents for a peek of luminescent yellow through glass. His heart sank when he finally realized he must have used his last bottle of SunSap hours ago – back when they’d been hiding out from a pack of Blood Wolves, and the gash in his arm had shown signs of infection. All he had left in his pack were a couple Spritzers and a tiny stopper full of Grace.

“Don’t you have any?” Castiel asked, heart threatening to beat right out of his chest, but he already knew it was a stupid question. Dean would have _healed_ already if he’d had some himself. _Castiel_ was supposed to be their medic of sorts, and he usually _did_ hoard Spritzers and SunSap when they were adventuring together, but it had been a long time since they’d last stopped at an apothecary. Castiel’s paltry supply was useless – Spritzer would do nothing for the gaping wound in Dean’s stomach, and his body wouldn’t respond well to Grace.

“Guess this is it, then.” Dean’s head fell back against the rocky dirt beneath him, and his lids fluttered.

“No, no, I can heal you, I can–”

Dean’s fingers grabbed weakly at his own where they were still connected. “It’s fine, buddy. You’ve done more than enough. I mean, you kicked those Bandits’ asses while I just conked out here for a nap.”

Getting stabbed through the intestines and then collapsing in pain wasn’t how Castiel would describe a _nap,_ but Dean had always been one for downplaying injury. Already the life was beginning to fade from the lovely green of Dean’s eyes, and Castiel could see they had no other options left. He wasn’t going to let his dearest friend die, wasn’t going to be left here alone in this desecrated wasteland.

“Close your eyes, Dean,” Castiel demanded, vision going a little hazy as his magic began to shine through his eyes.

“Wait, Cas, that’s–!”

_“Close your eyes!”_

He slammed his own palm over Dean’s vulnerable eyes, and felt the power burst from his skin as the spell took effect. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the incorporeal shapes of his Wings sweeping across the ground, closing around Dean’s body protectively in a blanket of starshine feathers. They exploded in light, leaving even Castiel’s eyes a little dazzled, and then abruptly they vanished.

“Woah!” Newly-healed, Dean caught Castiel before he could tip over as the fatigue hit him. The man’s arms shook under his weight, then pulled him securely into Dean’s body.

“Alright?” Castiel mumbled, accepting the embrace gratefully.

“More than!” Dean’s voice was an even mixture of relief and anger. “Cas, what the fuck did you do that for? We’re gonna have to go all the way back to _Eden_ to get your Wings back!”

Abruptly, Castiel realized how foolish he’d been, because Dean was _right._ Expending his Wings like that hadn’t been at all necessary – as a Seraphim, all Castiel had to do to bring Dean back was pray to the Ancestors at the nearest temple; he hadn’t yet used his monthly allotted Prayer, and that would have been a lot easier than travelling all the way back to Eden.

“Um, I think that’s enough for today,” he stammered, and before Dean could question him he swept the LiveSpecs off of his face, nearly blinding himself as the glaring white light of the Holo Room blinked into view. In front of him, Dean yanked his lenses off as well, eyes bright and concerned.

“Hey, you okay?” his friend asked, reaching out to touch the tips of his fingers to Castiel’s sweater sleeve.

Seeing the modern style of Dean’s clothing – his _real_ clothing – and the lack of any blood, as well as the hum of the game software running in the background, Castiel was already beginning to feel much calmer. Christ, but it was easy to get sucked into these games sometimes.

“Yeah. Just, God – I think I forgot it wasn’t actually _real,_ for a second.” He chuckled, uncertain even to his own ears, and relished the warm palm Dean set on his shoulder.

“Been there, dude. Hey, if we’re all finished here, how’s about we go out to Harvelle’s for a bite? My treat – you know, for freaking you out and all.”

Castiel felt a smile stretch his lips, much more genuine this time. _“Yes,_ please.”

Dean snorted, tossing his LiveSpecs onto their designated hook beside the door. “You got it, bud.”

 

 


End file.
